1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology to send and receive e-mail messages over a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a data communication apparatus that can send and receive data over a network, an MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral) apparatus, for example, is known. An MFP is a multi-function apparatus having such functions as those of a scanner, a copier, a printer and a facsimile machine, and is further capable of sending image data obtained through reading carried out using the scanner or other function over a network such as the Internet via an e-mail message. The use of this MFP apparatus enables an image of an original document to be sent to a recipient such as another MFP apparatus or a PC through an easy operation.
When an e-mail message is sent from a sender to a recipient over a network such as the Internet, it is sent in a relay fashion across multiple mail servers. The e-mail is not sent directly to the recipient (the apparatus that is ultimately intended to receive the e-mail), as mentioned above, and in some cases the sent e-mail does not reach the intended recipient's address. In such a case, an e-mail message (non-arrival notification) comprising non-arrival information is returned some period of time after the original e-mail is sent.
As a result, a user that sends an e-mail using an MFP apparatus checks based on the sending history whether or not a non-arrival notification was returned after a certain period of time elapsed, thereby determining whether or not the e-mail was sent.
Incidentally, a service has been proposed in which an MFP apparatus described above is installed in a retail outlet such as a convenience store for use by the customers of the store. By allowing users who do not have an MFP at home to use this service, images of original documents can be sent to recipients via e-mail, vastly increasing user convenience.
When an MFP apparatus installed in a retail store is used in this way, in order to determine whether or not the transmitted e-mail was received, it is necessary to wait for an indefinite period of time to ensure that a non-arrival notification is not returned, which is extremely inconvenient for the user of the service.
With this situation as a backdrop, one possible approach is to have the user input his regular e-mail address in the MFP, such that when the MFP receives a non-arrival notification, the notification can be forwarded to the user's regular e-mail address in order to inform him of such non-arrival.
However, the storage of users' regular e-mail addresses in a retail store used by a large number of anonymous customers entails the risk of disclosure of personal information such as e-mail addresses.